Take Care co-founder tops list of promotions at Walgreens

DEERFIELD, Ill. Walgreens has named Take Care clinic co-founder and chairman Hal Rosenbluth a corporate senior vice president of the company, in addition to his role as president of Walgreens Health and Wellness division.

The chain formed the Health and Wellness division in March, in the wake of its acquisitions of leading worksite clinic operators, I-trax, of Chadds Ford, Pa., parent company of CHD Meridian Healthcare, and privately held Whole Health Management of Cleveland. Including its prior acquisition of Take Care Health Systems, Walgreens operates more than 500 clinics under its Health and Wellness division.

“Hal’s strength as an entrepreneur who knows how to build profitable businesses is serving him well as he leads the integration of I-trax, Whole Health Management and Take Care Health Systems under our Health and Wellness division,” said Walgreens chairman and chief executive officer Jeffrey A. Rein.

Prior to starting Take Care, Rosenbluth, who has 29 years of experience in the business-to-business sector, ran Rosenbluth International, a global travel management company, which he also founded. Before selling it in 2003 to American Express—the year before he began Take Care—Rosenbluth grew RI to a $3 billion business with 4,300 employees operating in 15 countries.

In addition, Rosenbluth is also credited with having been instrumental in the formation of the Convenient Care Association, and served as the group’s first chairman.

In other news, Walgreens also named Michael Nameth, who is currently executive vice president for pharmacy benefit management and specialty pharmacy at Walgreens Health Services division, to a corporate divisional vice president. Nameth joined Walgreens with its 2006 acquisition of Medmark Specialty Pharmacy Solutions.

“Mike is a strategic thinker, operations-oriented and good with people,” said Rein. “His understanding of the managed care business will be a tremendous asset as we accelerate our strategy.”

Prior to Medmark, Nameth spent 10 years at WellPoint, and was president of its pharmacy benefit management unit, and has more than 20 years of experience in the managed care industry.

Finally, Walgreens has also promoted Mark A. Wattley, currently vice president and legal counsel of human resources for Walgreens Health Services, to a corporate divisional vice president for Walgreens. Wattley joined Walgreens 10 years ago as a senior attorney in employee relations and moved to Walgreens Health Services in 2003. Prior to Walgreens, he was an employment litigation attorney with the Chicago Board of Education.

“Mark is a great listener, and as our Walgreens Health Services division has grown through acquisitions, he understands the trepidation people often feel when their companies are acquired by a larger one,” said Rein. “Mark has been very effective at retaining key people by welcoming them and easing their way into the Walgreens team.”

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Energizer to debut mercury-free batteries this fall

ST. LOUIS Energizer plans to roll out a new line of eco-friendly hearing aid batteries this fall. The company plans to debut its mercury-free hearing aid batteries on or before Oct. 1 at all major retailers.

The hearing aid batteries will come in four sizes and will be the first batteries of their kind to contain no mercury, a heavy metal that ends up in landfills when the batteries are thrown out.

“While the amount of mercury we removed was small in comparison to other mercury containing products, we’re nevertheless pleased to be taking the lead with our hearing aid batteries,” said Serge Traylor, Energizer brand manager.

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Jewel-Osco to test small-store concept

MELROSE PARK, Ill. Jewel-Osco says it will open a new small-format store in the Chicago area later this year.

Dubbed “Urban Fresh,” the 16,000-square-foot store will open in the Lincoln Park section of Chicago this fall. The store will emphasize ready-to-go meals along with a selection of fresh meats, seafood and produce. Parent company Supervalu has not said whether the store would feature a pharmacy.

“The smaller-store format is an exciting complement to our larger, more traditional grocery stores,” said Keith Nielsen, president of Jewell-Osco, which currently has 32 stores in the Chicago area.

Urban Fresh will be the latest in a growing number of small-format grocery stores launched in the United States during the past year. Tesco currently has 65 Fresh & Easy stores on the West Coast and Safeway opened its first “The Market” store in Long Beach, Calif. in late May. And Wal-Mart plans to open four small “Marketside” grocery stores in Phoenix this fall.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Peggy Noonan, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and singer Diana Ross now feature on the schedule for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting, slated for April 21-24 in Palm Beach, Fla.

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